Sermons

The Miracles, the Darkness, the Triumph

We can experience the victory of God. He sent our sins away from us to Calvary. There, Jesus paid for our sins and experienced Hell in darkness and thirst. (Matthew 27:45; Hebrews 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 2:14)

Wed. night I’d like to have a celebration of what happened during the week with the play. And have flowers and gift cards. Just have a great celebration. If you have an IPhone and a testimony. It goes like this: I brought my neighbor. Video with your IPhone and send it to me. And Wed. night we have I brought my neighbor. I brought my neighbor. P. Ray, I bought 12 people. A Syrian family came and they said they never saw anything like it. An Iranian family and it was the first time ever in a church. What if you have those testimonies and you make a little video and say it and then we shoot it up on the screen. We see what happened that way. Wouldn’t that be good? You got to think it over! It sounds technical to me. I don’t know if we can do it but we will try.

Let’s review it. This is Easter and we had a great day. I love this picture. I love the person that died there for us. We want to say also the director of the program, P. Steve wrote the play. He gets a café card! Didn’t he do a good job! Then P. Handel’s daughter was the director and she had to chop the script up to have it make sense because he had written it, Pastor Steve who gets a café card! Leah did an amazing job. Anu, the man that played Jesus. Awesome. Isn’t he amazing? His mom and dad came from Toronto to see it live. They are here in the third row. All the unseen people, the makeup, the prayer room and everything that happened. We thank God for this week. The influence and effect. We had a beautiful morning, great messages, touches the heart and where we are living.

P. Scibelli leaves for Africa on one of his long tours so we will pray for him as he goes.

Wed. night if you were in the play or cast come and we will have that celebration here.

Good to see Paula Lange here too.

P. Handel

to watch theatrical productions and used by God to change hearts. So glad I was here. Some thinking with God involved. I want you to suppose for a minute you are Almighty God. I know that’s almost blasphemous.

You’re part of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and in Acts 2:22 they consider things together. In Genesis let us make man together. They worked on this together. You are in the counsel and looking down from heaven. More needs than people. What do they need most, the Father says to the Son. We know what they need most. The Spirit says what they need most is invisible. They wouldn’t know they had it because it’s invisible so how are they going to know. The Father says I have a solution. We’ll pair two miracles together. One miracle that is incredible, impossible before their eyes and an invisible miracle. If he can do this visible miracle, he can do this invisible one.

Mt. 9:2, that word “forgiven you” is not the forgive we think of in English. Can you say APHIEMI? Forgive. What does it mean? To send away. Be of good cheer. Your sins have been sent away. I can forgive someone and say I’m not going to begrudge you for what you did to me or tell people or retaliate. Just forget it. It goes beyond it. It means taking the sin and sending it away from the sinner. Be of good cheer. Your sins have been sent away. Can we see it? No, it’s invisible. We trust God did it. He pairs it with a miracle we can see. This man blasphemes. What was blasphemous? Only God can send sins away. He’s making himself out to do what only Almighty God can do. He’s making himself out to be God. Why do you think evil in your hearts?

vs. 5-6. Performed two visible miracles. He healed his body so he could walk. If you haven’t walked in years or never, you have to train the body to walk. He heals him and trains him instantly. No physical therapy needed. If he can do the one miracle, then he can do the other miracle to set our sins away. He has the power to do it. He’s Almighty God. He pairs the visible miracle with the invisible. Let’s do this on a grander scale.

Mt. 27:45-6. Visible sign going on. The sky goes dark for three hours. Some historians say it was an eclipse. An eclipse can last for 6.5 minutes. This is 180 minutes of total darkness in the middle of the day. It’s happening before their eyes. Nothing too hard for God to do. The Almighty one has turned the lights out. It’s a miracle you don’t see. It’s dark. It’s like his resurrection. The believers saw the resurrected Christ but the rest of the world saw an empty tomb. An un-miracle, not what you see but what you don’t see.

Paul understood the invisible miracle going on and wrote about it in 2 Cor 5:21. What is he saying? Your sins were sent on the cross on the 14th of Nissan in 30 A.D. I wasn’t born yet. God has foreknowledge and knew about your sins before you ever committed any of them. This is a miracle that supersedes time and space. My sins were sent to the cross on the 14th of Nissan 30 A.D. He who knew no sin became sin. How can that be? He does the one which is impossible to show you he can do the other one that is impossible because with God nothing is impossible. Why the darkness? There is a historian in Turkey (name?) and he wrote about this event knowing nothing about what was going on in Jerusalem. In the 4th year of the ….eclipse of the sun above any that happened before. The stars were seen in heaven.” Darkness upon the land can mean the whole earth or region. I read two reports of Egypt spotting and one in Turkey. The whole region went dark. Your sins were transferred to the cross. The most important miracle happened at that moment. He’s done it all. Jesus said he saw their faith and said be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven. You simply need to believe. That transfer affects your life. I prayed to receive Christ. Something is different. I prayed in the name of Jesus and the things I prayed for happened. Why is God listening to me? I’m a sinner. Has to do with Jesus.

When I looked at 2 Corinthians I got it. My sins were transferred and he could hear my prayer sinless. Pretty good for a guy who is still a sinner. It’s wonderful we have that experience. 1) In Ps 22. In prophesy we have a detailed description of Jesus’ crucifixion. Oh my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? The second verse and this is the one he was fulfilling.

vs. 2. To fulfill Ps 22, he had to suffer in the day and night and cry out in both. Here no answer from heaven because he became sin. The Son is rejected so we don’t have to be rejected. The darkness is a part of the recreation of the penalty of sin. Sin brings forth death and also the punishment, death and hell. We know from the Scripture that hell is a place of utter and absolute darkness. So Jesus is in a hell-like place. It is dark. His body is wracked by pain from crucifixion. He says on the cross, I thirst. That happens in hell because that’s what the rich man wanted most. If I could have a drop of water because I thirst. Jesus’ thirsted, experienced the darkness, and his body was wracked from pain….hell for us on earth.

Jesus takes hell for us on earth so we who believe will never go there.

P. Scibelli

Great preacher. Wow. Heb. 2, awesome day and still is. Still living in today.

Heb 2:14, he destroyed the devil. A lot of people give too much credit to the enemy. He has been destroyed.

vs. 15. Thanks for coming tonight. Shake a little bit. After my wife’s amazing lasagna, I wasn’t sure I could think tonight. Food has a way of going to your brain. You become brain dead after eating too much! I was thinking of this one word since yesterday when we spoke about victory.

2 Cor 2:14-15, Isn’t that great. We used these three words: now, always and in every place. We are victorious people. If we listen to the liar, we do not fellowship with the truth of the victory. We look at our situation and we do not because of the way we look experience the victory we have. I was thinking of how resurrection life we will never die. Say halleluiah. He has removed the power of death.

I love what Jesus said in Jn 11 when he came to the tomb of Lazarus. His sisters are saying if you had been here my brother wouldn’t have died. Geographical faith. Then Jesus said your brother shall rise again. Then they became theological. I know the resurrection. I know our brother will rise on the last day. Jesus made a powerful statement. I am the resurrection and the life. Lazarus, out now. I can experience victory and the life of the Son of God every day. Not just Easter and praise the Lord for this day to celebrate what took place but every moment of every day I can experience the victory of resurrection life. In Africa people have been raised from the dead. I’m sure in other places, too. In Cambodia I read accounts of where things have happened like that. I can experience the victory of God’s resurrection life. I was thinking about the entire Trinity as P. Handel touched on it a bit. Father Son and Holy Spirit were all involved in the resurrection.

Gal 1:1 the Father raised him from the dead. The one who has the purpose, authority, and who protects raised him from the dead.

Jn 2:19 says he raised himself from the dead.

Rom. 8:11 the Spirit raised him from the dead. Is the Bible contradictory? No, they were all involved in the resurrection of Christ. All of them involved in my experience in life on a daily basis. I don’t have to think low thoughts. I can think with God. “I know it’s going to be better in heaven.” No, it can be great right now. We can experience the victory of God. There is a liar out there who loves to penetrate the flesh through the world system to lie to us. The enemy is given six names in one chapter. Six characteristics or aspects of his character. Satan, deceiver, accuser.

Rev 12 on down through verse. 9. Six names the enemy is given. They overcame him. Say it. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their own lives unto the death. It’s not love based on me as a source. He first love me and I can love him. They overcame the enemy. You overcome the flesh. We have victory.

They asked George Mueller why he was successful in bearing fruit. He said I’m utterly dead. Dead to my flesh in Rom 6:6. The old man is crucified.I’m dead to the world in Gal. 6:14 and dead to the influence of the devil. He’s been overcome by the blood of the Lamb. Mueller said I’m utterly dead and could experience the life of God.

Experience the victory God has given us. Like a person who won a marathon and never goes to get the reward. How many believers are duped by the world, the flesh and the devil? They are defeated. In Liberia, they sing a song: I know no defeat, I know no defeat, I know no defeat. Jesus is my captain and I know no defeat. That man on the screen I remember when he came to Bible school. Very thin guy. He said I want to go to Bible school. We had the Bible school in Mango. And then ____ (He’s naming places). Had to wave away these long things flying at you. While they were preaching, I had them come to my mouth a few times and spit them out and kept preaching. What was the name of that place? (He said it). My wife said it’s raining out. Listen to your wife! It looks like it’s raining very heavy. I was preaching a message, when the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise up a standard. I’m Mr. Know-it-all. She’s like this (pointing outside). By the time we started to walk across the field, the water was to the knees. Nice move, pastor! We get to a bridge and as soon as we are over, it washes out. Then up to our waist in water and that means P. Duane’s neck! God, you have to lead us. We have victory. We are not going to be defeated. The enemy comes in like a flood, God raises up a standard. It was waist deep sewage water. By this time ye stinketh the sisters said. No sewer covers. Just open holes. You could see people dropping getting sucked down in front of you. I said, Holy Spirit guide the footsteps. I said if you see me go down, go another way. We made it all the way out. We walked a mile without dropping. It was God. She said take those victorious clothes off. We’re going to burn them. It was horrifying. Victory. God is with us. You’re more than a conqueror.

Even when people think you are defeated, you won. You’re victorious. He’s on a cross, dying, calling on God, been forsaken. It doesn’t look good. I know no defeat. Joshua understood that when he saw the captain of the host before he went into the Promised Land. I am the captain of the host. Shoes off, place you stand is holy ground. This week was an amazing holy ground for us. He saw the captain of the host. It can mean the victorious leader or the head of the body. He saw the one who would lead them into that land and give them victory. To live a spiritual life, to follow the call of God and say yes to God. To come to church and have a godly marriage. How am I going to do that? He’s more than a conqueror. God, give the victory. Ever hear of the addiction to the good life? That’s one of the most powerful addictions on planet earth. Just live a good life but not a spiritual life. A good person but not saved. That is more dangerous than anything. An addiction to a good life but not having a God life. I can be delivered from a good life. That never happened to me because I lived like hell on earth and then backwards. 1976 I got victory. I was delivered instantaneously from 13 years of narcotic addiction in one second. That was easy to go. The other addictions are tougher. We have life over death. We have the finished work over trying to do works that please God. We have the victory of the eternal over the temporal.

I’m so proud of this church spiritually. This is an amazing church. To see the play and all these people. I would think 250 people got saved. Something like that. And how many visitors we had in 4 nights. Probably 1,000. When does that happen? You. Your prayers, your love, your dedication, your vision, your life. Every person as we do this as the Body. We do it together. We are believing God. I was watching some of them last night. How they were smiling. Happy. The victory of joy over the sorrow that is everywhere.

The disciples when they went out were so happy. You can’t believe it. Even the devils are subject to us in your name. They were Pentecostal. He said don’t rejoice the devils are subject to you. Rejoice in this your name is written in heaven. The work is finished. I am saved forever. Hello? Say that. I am saved forever. What a liar the devil is who has perpetrated this lie where people are saved and think they are lost or could be lost. Trying to keep their own salvation. They don’t understand the H.S. victory. Here’s a man who? Jesus who? Little girls are making him run. The little maid. Aren’t you with Jesus of Nazareth? I don’t know the man. Your speech betrays you. He’s a coward. Peter feared religious Jews.

You see it in Gal 2. He’s afraid and on the run. Realized he is loved by God and stands up in Pentecost. It’s all about Peter. He stood in the midst of Jerusalem preaching the gospel. You denied the Lord he said. What? If anyone did it, it was you who walked with him 3.5 years intimately and said I don’t know the man. He understands he has victory. Any sin in our lives? He who knew no sin became sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Mercy rejoices over judgment! Wow! Mercy is laughing at judgment. Victory in the mercy of God! I don’t care what someone has done. You can’t believe what I have done in my life. My belief is who you can become in Christ. I don’t care about your past. He said what kind of message is this? The gospel. Good news. Victory. Jesus has won a victory. All you have to do is step into it.

God will give me victory over 8 airplane flights, seven airports, and 14 in and out of customs. I’ll have a fun time. I’m going to look for opportunities for God to reveal himself to some of these people. I talked to an immigration guy in London. They find Bibles in my suitcase. I said I have 50 large paper clips and I can wind them together and cut your throat. He said what? That’s how good your security system is! Give me the paper clips. Thanks for telling me that. Now I’ll be looking for large paper clips. Victory in all these trips in the mission. This man has 10 churches in Kinshasa. He is living in what he learned in a GG Bible school. He brought it to the Congo. He understands victory.

I can walk into my job tomorrow morning and say I know no defeat. I am a victorious Christian. I believe that. God has given me absolutely victory. I am the greatest ambassador in the place I work because God sent me there. You are there to reveal Christ and he will manifest himself through you. Nobody is better than you because God put you there. God has sent us. We have victory. The enemy is always saying you failed again and again. Yeah, and it will be again and again and he picked me up seven times or 70 times 7. It makes me realize how much he loves me and how merciful he is. Victory. He saw the Lamb coming forth and he wept because he could not open the book. The incredible victory of the Holy Spirit, the person of Christ. The incredible victory of faith over sight and unbelief. I look at things by sight. Ever look at finances by sight? No. Look but don’t remember it. Live by faith. Have a faith victory over finances. How many times have people told you, you don’t have long to live? The doctor said it’s about time for you to cash it in. I have a better doctor than you. He’s a great physician. I am not going down. Not yet. I was counting how many days you live if you live 70 or 80 years or 90 years (He gave the number of days for each). We believe. We don’t let sight take away the victory. We have victory in Christ. Thanks be unto God who causes us to triumph in Christ.

1 Cor 15:54 resurrection life. We can experience that today. This is a day can be a stepping stone for us to walk with God in victory this entire year. I believe that. I want to fellowship with that. Trust in that in every aspect of my life. Absolute victory. And not only that but more than a conqueror. Napoleon was a conqueror when he won but when he lost, no.

We are more than a conqueror. Jesus wins. I am in. No more sin. Say it.

Don’t forget that as you pray for me the next 30 days or so.

Please enjoy these sermon notes from the messages preached at Greater Grace Church in Baltimore. These notes are provided to aid in your study and understanding of the Word. Note that these notes do not represent complete, word-for-word transcriptions. Also, they may contain omissions as well as some errors in spelling and structure, etc., as we attempt to provide them as soon as possible. Our hope is that these notes serve as a way to help you search and connect with messages on related subjects and passages. Thank you for your interest in the ministry of Greater Grace.